Bethesda native Katie Ledecky added another feat to her renowned career on Tuesday, winning her 15th career individual world swimming record. Her latest win ties Ledecky with another Maryland legend, Michael Phelps, for the most ever.
Ledecky won the 1500m freestyle by over 17 seconds in Fukuoka, Japan, a victory that was never in doubt. At certain points in the race, the Bethesda native resembled a driver in the wrong lane, swimming by competitors as they lagged behind.
THAT'S KATIE LEDECKY!@katieledecky is the first person to win five world titles in two different events AND she ties Michael Phelps for the most individual world golds in swimming (15).
And she won this 1500m free world title by 17 seconds. 🤯 #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/y6WeHj99IJ
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 25, 2023
But beyond winning medals and breaking world records, perhaps what made Ledecky so overjoyed at the end of the race was the aspect that drives her: personal competition.
The Bethesda native has controlled the 1500m race for a decade now, with her victory in the heat becoming almost a foregone conclusion. But despite holding the top 16 times in 1500m freestyle history, Ledecky had slowed down in recent years.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Ledecky took home gold in the 1500, but swam a mediocre time by her standards. Now, over two years later, the swimmer topped that time by over 11 seconds on Tuesday.
“I feel like I’m getting better each time I swim them. That’s what you love to see. You love to see improvement, and that’s been my biggest goal over the last couple of years,” she said, per NBC.
Therefore, right after her hand smacked the wall on Tuesday, Ledecky’s eyes did not turn to the other swimmers who were in a race for second, or to her coaches or teammates. Instead, they immediately rose to the electronic scoreboard that sits above the pool.
When she saw her time flash on the screen, her right hand smacked down on the water in an emphatic statement, a slight peek into the internal contest that she had just conquered.
Ledecky will have a chance to break Phelps’ record on Saturday, when she will race as the obvious favorite in the 800m freestyle.
In a sport filled with young phenoms, Ledecky is the veteran now, a far cry from when she made her Olympic debut in 2015 as a 15 year-old. Back then, it shocked the rest of the world when a scrawny kid from Bethesda, Maryland, took home a gold medal.
Now, more first-place finishes seems inevitable.
